The present invention relates generally to a core metal insert which is used in a sealing assembly of an automobile or the like. The present invention also relates generally to a method of manufacturing such a core metal insert.
Sealing assemblies are commonly used in automobiles in order to seal areas adjacent to the doors, windows, and trunk covers. The sealing assemblies typically include a metallic inner member and an elastomeric outer member. The metallic inner member, commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9ccore metal insert,xe2x80x9d provides structural integrity to the sealing assembly, while the elastomeric outer member provides the sealing assembly with its ability to seal against objects such as doors, windows or truck covers.
One challenge when designing a sealing assembly is to obtain a core metal insert that has a configuration which facilitates long-term attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert whereby durability of the sealing assembly is achieved. Note that the sealing assembly is subjected to repeated contact with a movable object such as an automobile door, window or truck cover. Thus, durability of the sealing assembly is important goal.
It would also be desirable to obtain long-term attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert without the need to chemically treat the core metal insert prior to attaching the elastomeric material to the core metal insert. Eliminating a manufacturing step in the process of making the sealing assembly would reduce the cost of the sealing assembly.
Another challenge when designing a sealing assembly is to obtain a core metal insert which is relatively light weight yet still provides structural integrity to the sealing assembly. Reducing weight of components of an automobile such as a sealing assembly reduces fuel consumption of the automobile.
Yet another challenge when designing a sealing assembly is to obtain a core metal insert that has a configuration which facilitates bending of the core metal insert during manufacture of the sealing assembly. In particular, obtaining a core metal insert which is relatively easy to bend during manufacture of the sealing assembly reduces manufacturing costs since less exotic bending equipment may be used to bend the core metal insert to a desired shape prior to attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly. The core metal insert is manufactured by a process including the step of cutting a plurality of inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank. The process of manufacturing the core metal insert further includes the step of coining the slitted metal blank so that the core metal insert is manufactured with (i) a plurality of inboard gaps defined therein, and (ii) a coin-formed bridge which is positioned within each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps and which divides each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps into a first inboard subgap and a second inboard subgap, each of the first inboard subgap and the second inboard subgap extends through the core metal insert.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a core metal insert which is adapted to be used in a sealing assembly. The method includes the steps of (i) cutting a plurality of inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank, and (ii) coining a swath in the slitted metal blank so that the slitted metal blank is expanded to create the core metal insert with a plurality of inboard gaps defined therein. Each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps extends from a left lateral inboard gap end to a right lateral inboard gap end. The swath is oriented relative to the plurality of inboard gaps such that, when the core metal insert is viewed in a plan view, (i) the swath forms an intersection with each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps, and (ii) the swath is spaced apart from each of the left lateral inboard gap end and the right lateral inboard gap end.
Yet according to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly, the core metal insert being manufactured by a process including the steps of (i) cutting a plurality of inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank, and (ii) coining a swath in the slitted metal blank so that the slitted metal blank is expanded to create the core metal insert with a plurality of inboard gaps defined therein. The coining step includes the step of displacing a quantity of metal of the slitted metal blank so as to create a coin-formed bridge with the quantity of metal which (A) is positioned within each of the plurality of inboard gaps, and (B) divides each inboard gap of the plurality of inboard gaps into a first inboard subgap and a second inboard subgap. Each of the first inboard subgap and the second inboard subgap extends through the core metal insert.
According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a core metal insert for use in a sealing assembly, the core metal insert being manufactured by a process including the step of cuffing a plurality of left lateral outermost inboard slits and a plurality of right lateral outermost inboard slits in a metal blank so as to create a slitted metal blank. The process of manufacturing the core metal insert further includes the step of coining the slitted metal blank so that the core metal insert is manufactured with (i) a plurality of left lateral outermost inboard gaps defined therein, (ii) a plurality of right lateral outermost inboard gaps defined therein, (iii) a left lateral coin-formed bridge which is positioned within each left lateral outermost inboard gap of the plurality of left lateral outermost inboard gaps and which divides each left lateral outermost inboard gap into a first left lateral outermost inboard subgap and a second left lateral outermost inboard subgap, each of the first left lateral outermost inboard subgap and the second left lateral outermost inboard subgap extends through the core metal insert, and (iv) a right lateral coin-formed bridge which is positioned within each right lateral outermost inboard gap of the plurality of right lateral outermost inboard gaps and which divides each right lateral outermost inboard gap into a first right lateral outermost inboard subgap and a second right lateral outermost inboard subgap, each of the first right lateral outermost inboard subgap and the second right lateral outermost inboard subgap extends through the core metal insert.
One object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful core metal insert.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved core metal insert.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new and useful method of manufacturing a core metal insert.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of manufacturing a core metal insert.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal insert that has a configuration which facilitates long-term attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert whereby durability of the sealing assembly is achieved.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal insert which is configured so that it does not need to be chemically treated prior to attaching the elastomeric material to the core metal insert and yet still enables long-term attachment of the elastomeric material to the core metal insert.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal insert which is relatively light weight yet still provides structural integrity to a sealing assembly.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a core metal insert that has a configuration which facilitates bending of the core metal insert during manufacture of the sealing assembly.
Other objects and benefits of the present invention can be discerned from the following description and accompanying drawings.